Girls' Night Out
by AccessBlueFleet
Summary: UPDATE! Chapter 6 now up. When the girls of the SRU head out to celebrate a special event in Jules life, things go really, really wrong. JAM proposal and pregnancy. and maybe lots of whump. (We'll see where things go). Pretty much will include everyone's fav characters. Pls r/r!
1. Chapter 1

**Girls' Night Out**

**author's note: a night out of celebrating turns deadly and puts everyone in danger - especially Jules. (JAM proposal and pregnancy included!) **

Jules was overjoyed. The news from the doctor wasn't what she was expecting. She hoped with all her heart that sam would be just as overjoyed maybe more than she was because he was the father. the father of her baby!

I wonder what the team will think, Juls thinks as she drives to the little café to meet Sam. Her stomach was all weird, as if butterflies were multiplying inside and there little wings were flapping like crazy.

Sam's reaction was everything she hoped for and more. He was smiling happily and was truly excited about the news that they were going to have a baby together.

Now that Jules is pregnant, Sam wondered how it would change things. After all, the work they did is dangerous. Very dangerous. And she's already been shot once, Sam thinks to himself when he arrives to the Mens locker room that morning. If something happens to her on the job again, I'd go insane thinks Sam.

But Jules doesn't want him to worry. The last thing she needs is for him to be too overprotective. Its one of the things she really loves about Sam, and that is the way he lets her do dangerous things because he knows she can handle the job. His 'sexy sniper chick' can be just as tough as any of them, and she doesn't have to prove anything to anyone else. Especially him.

Sam remembers the first time he layed eyes on Jules, and can't believe his amazing luck. That even after that rough start and her getting shot and then breaking up with him they still couldn't ignore what was happening between them. and now he is going to be the father of her baby.

"What do you think it is?" asks sam as they drive in to work together. "I don't know" Jules said. "what if its twins? Maybe there would be one of each."

"A boy and a girl… we would have to think of two names" says Sam.

"if it's a girl, we could name one after your sister" Jules said.

"Natalie?" asks Sam.

"No, silly! the other sister. the one you lose"

"oh. right. I still miss her, you know" says Sam sadly. But that would be a really great way to honor her. You'd probably make my mom happy if we did. It would be like she's somehow alive again.

Sam smiles at the memory of that conversation. He sees Ed and Greg looking at him kinda funny. He knows they don't know about their good news yet but for a second he worries that they can somehow read his mind and see 'baby-name talk' written all over his happy face.

There is a call and soon the team is on the road. they have to face an ex-military guy who was only trying to do right by this friends, who was trying to take care of others in a bad spot after coming back from the war. Sam puts his own life in danger to try to talk the sergeant down who is holding a grenade in his hand with the pin removed. if he lets it go both him and Sam will surely die. right there in front of jules, and she hopes and prays that sam can get through to him. as much as he is afraid something might happen to her and the baby she is also worried. worried that something might happen to him. what would she do if one day he didn't come home to her and their child?

it's a prospect she doesn't have to face because sam gets through to the sergeant. Jules is completely and totally relieved. her baby still has a father.

It's three months later, and they still haven't told the team the good news but sam has told his parents. The General wants to know when his son will make an honest woman of his girlfriend, and sam tells him quietly that he really does want to marry jules, but he's waiting for the right moment to pop the question. There's a place they used to go in her jeep some nights by the waterfront close to where Ed made sam swim in his full gear. it's on the marina and its peaceful there. sam has shared some of his most meaningful conversations there with jules as they sipped their double-doubles in the cool night air. that's where I will pop the question, he thinks.

Jules tries to muffle the sound of her wretching in the Ladies locker room. The morning sickness hasn't been bad but today the bran muffin she ate might have been a bit stale causing her stomach to reject it. Leah knocks lightly on the stall door and asks if she is okay.

"I'm fine" jules answers.

"We need to be in the briefing room" Leah says. "Should I tell greg your sick?"

"No I'm coming" Jules says and opens the door to show she is alright.

Leah looks at her funny but doesn't say a word.

Jules can tell the other woman is curious. She got the same looks from Donna last week, and from Winnie the week before. She knows that the other SRU ladies sense something has changed about her and maybe they even suspect she is pregnant but they're being polite about it and won't ask her. As it is, Jules and Sam agreed that after three months they are going to tell the team their good news. And three months is today, so they planned to tell them at the end of the morning meeting before patrols.

After Greg tells the team about the latest drill results and how Team One is still the top out of all the teams on the SRU Sam slowly stands up and Jules stands next to him. He clears his throat and links his fingers with her's. She squeezes his fingers back and remembers with a hint of guilt the night Izzy was born and how she rejected Sam when he tried to hold her hand in the hospital. All she can think of now is that in 6 months, it will be her and Sam in a hospital welcoming a new baby. She imagines the whole team being there like they were for Ed and Sophie and she can't help but smile.

"Jules and I have an announcement" says Sam nervously.

"We are going to have a baby!" Jules says happily.

Everyone on the team breaks into a round of applause and congratulate them on the good news and Greg winks at Jules. Ed and Spike grin and offer Sam high fives and handshakes. Leah gave Jules a big hug and says "I knew something was going on with you!"

Ed, Greg and Spike joke with Sam about being honorary uncles just before Winnie announces that there is a report of a gunshot somewhere in the city, and they have to hurry. Right away all talk about the baby vanishes and the team is off again to protect the city.

Sam and Jules get to ride together this time because the rest of them know it would be wrong to separate them at least for this shift after sharing their good news.

"I think they took the news pretty good" says Sam as they get ready to leave in the SUV.

"I agree" Jules says. "Greg knows the rules about when a cop gets pregnant so I don't think hes going to treat me any different out in the field."

"The rest of the team will want to take care of you Jules. You know that right?"

"Of course I know. But the only protection I need is knowing that you are safe Sam you are my security."

"I feel the same way Jules. When I'm with you everything else just disappears. nothing else matters. I love you Jules"

"And I love you too"

The kiss and then Sam starts the SUV thinking again about how he wants to pop the question to Jules. I'll do it soon because I already found the ring I want to buy, he thinks. It's a beautiful, white gold band with a solitaire diamond simple and elegant.

He looks over at Jules as he drives and thinks about how beautiful she is and how the ring will look on her finger how she'll look on their future wedding day in her dress. She'll look stunning, he thinks, and everything will be perfect.

Jules was exhausted. It was almost the end of the shift when they got called to an armed standoff in an bad part of town. It lasted hours, but Greg was finally able to talk the gunman down. It was nearly midnight by the time they made it back to the barn, and all she wanted to do was hit the showers and go home.

Sam stopped her on the way out of the locker room. "Hey Jules" he says "I know it's late but I'd really like to go for drive and just talk for a little bit if that's okay with you."

"Sure Sam" Jules says. "Were are we going?"

"You'll see. Mind if I drive your jeep?"

"Not at all." She hands him her keys and they head outside to the parking lot.

Sam smiles as she gets into the jeep. He makes sure the ring is in his pocket. He's certain she's going to say yes when he asks, but one part of his brain is doubtful and totally freaked out. He's positive he wants to spend the rest of his life with her he just hopes she wants to spend the rest of her life him – and their baby that's on the way.

Sam first stops at a 24-hour drivethru Tim Hortons for two large double-doubles and then he takes them to that quiet spot on the waterfront where they liked to go for privacy.

"This is nice" Jules says as they sit in the back of the parked jeep and sip their coffee. "I can't remember the last time we did this."

"Neither can I" Sam says. It's now or never, he thinks. "Hey Jules, I know we haven't really talked about it a lot, but I think you know how important you are to me and how you make me feel when we're together. You make me feel like the luckiest guy on the planet and now that we're having a baby it's even more amazing. I love you Jules, and sometimes I don't say it enough."

"I love you too Sam" Jules smiles.

"I'm glad" Sam smiles. He reaches into his pocket and puts down his coffee. "So… I have a question for you. Julianna Callaghan… will you be my wife?"

Jules feels as if her heart is going to explode out of her chest. The joy welling up inside her is so intense, she almost starts to cry. All she can see now is the ring that Sam is offering her and she almost forgets to answer him.

"Well?" Sam asks.

"Yes!" Jules shouts.

With a happy smile Sam takes the ring out of the box and gently puts it on her finger. They kiss long and passionately.

"There's nowhere else I'd rather be right at this moment" Jules sighs.

"Copy that!" says Sam. and they pull each other into another kiss.

It's the next morning and Jules is all smiles. Winnie is the first to notice her happy mood as she enters.

"Someone's in a good mood this morning" says the dispatcher.

Jules walks over and holds out her hand to show off the engagement ring.

"No way!" exclaims Winnie. "He proposed! Congratulations!"

Jules can feel herself blushing. "Thanks winnie. I'm on cloud nine. I honestly never thought it would happen. You know with this job and everything… but Sam's the one. I just know it."

"We are totally going to have a girls night out to celebrate the good news!" declares Winnie.

"sure. that sounds like fun" Jules replies.

"After all, once you're a married woman with a baby, your not gonna have a lot of time to hang out anymore."

"Yeah, but I think I'm gonna enjoy being a wife. And being a mom. It's all like an amazing dream come true. I keep thinking that something's going to happen and I'm going to wake up and find out it's all been my imagination the whole time."

Winnie suddenly reached over and pinched Jules.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"Are you awake now? See, your not dreaming Jules"

"Ha-ha, Winnie." Jules says and slugs her in the arm. "Listen, I gotta hit the floor for the workout. See you later."

"You bet!"

Spike notices that Sam is in bright spirits when he comes into the change rooms. "More good news, 'dad'?" he asks.

Sam grins. "I sorta asked Jules last night if she'd marry me. And she said yes."

"Hey that's awesome, buddy! Congrats Sam" says Spike. "You guys pick a date yet? I need to know if I should start making the homemade wine and how much. Wouldn't want you to run out."

"No we haven't picked a date yet" admits Sam.

Then Ed and Greg enter and Sam tells them his good news. "I'm real happy for you both" Greg smiles.

"Thanks Sarge!" Sam says as he shakes Greg's hand. "Without your support I don't think we would have made it this far"

"Hey you two earned the right to be together on this team" Greg says. "And I'm proud of you"

Back in the women's change room, Jules was just finished putting on her workout clothes when Leah comes in and immediately notices the new jewelry on her left hand.

"Is that an engagement ring Jules?" she asks.

"Sure is!" Jules happily answers.

"So Sam proposed last night! Good for you Jules. You guys make a cute couple."

"Thanks Leah" Jules says. "By the way, Winnie wants to celebrate tonight, like a girl's night out. Wanna come?"

"Absolutely!"

"Great. We'll go after the shift ends."

"I'll be there"

It was another long day for team one, but the only thing on their schedule was serving a warrant. after that was just patrolling around the city.

"Quiet day in Toronto" Ed says as they go to debrief back at headquarters.

"What a relief" says Spike. "Its nice when the dirtbags don't make a mess for us to clean up."

"Copy that!" says Greg.

They end the meeting quickly and head to the change rooms to get ready to leave for the evening.

Jules caught up with Sam. "Hey, Sam. Winnie wants to have a girls night out tonight. See you tomorrow, okay?"

"Sure, Jules. The guys wanted to have a drink at the Goose anyway so it's all good. See you tomorrow." He gives her a quick peck on the cheek and they leave the debriefing room.

"So where are we celebrating tonight, Winnie?" Leah asks as she and Jules reach the dispatch desk.

"I'm thinking that all-night sushi place that has the karaoke machine?" she answers. "You know that place we went to a few months back?"

"Sounds okay to me," says Jules.

"Yeah I didn't want to go to an actual bar since I know you're not going to be drinking, Jules" Winnie says.

"Good thinking, Winnie. Shall we go?"

"Yep, I'm just waiting for Sydney to get here before I log off." Winnie says. "You two go ahead. I'm catching a ride with Donna because she's off soon too."

Jules and Leah head out. Leah hops on her motorcycle and Jules peels off in her jeep towards the sushi/karaoke place Winnie had chosen. It wasn't very crowded and they were able to get a table for four easily. Someone was up at the karaoke machine singing a bad version of 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun'.

Leah nudged Jules. "You should go up there and show them how its done. You've got a great voice."

"Okay, but only if you come up with me."

"No way. You couldn't pay me to sing!" Leah protests.

They sit down at their table and try to ignore the horrible off-key singing while their server takes their drink orders. Soon they're joined by Winnie and Donna, and they head to the buffet area to fill their plates.

Winnie raises her glass to toast Jules, and all three women congratulate her on her engagement. She can feel herself blushing, but she fills them in on all the details about how Sam chose 'their' spot on the waterfront to propose.

"It wasn't super crazy or over the top, but I could tell he thought about it." Jules says.

"Nice ring, too" says Donna admiring the diamond band.

"Thanks," replies Jules.

"Have you two talked about names yet?" Winnie asks.

"Not really" says Jules. "Just one short conversation about if it's a girl, we could name her after Sam's sister. The one that died when he was walking with her."

"Aw, that would be so sweet" says Winnie.

"I didn't know Sam had another sister" says Donna.

"He rarely talks about her" says Jules. "But I think when she was killed it really made Sam into the person he is today."

"No doubt!" says Leah.

"I don't know how you get over something like that" says Winnie. "And he was just a kid when he saw her get hit by that car. I can't imagine how awful that must have been".

"That does sound pretty awful" Donna said. "If something like that had happened to my sister when we were kids, I don't know what I would have done. Poor Sam."

"Any ideas about what you'd call the kid if it's a boy?" Leah asked.

"Not yet" Jules said. "But I'm sure we'll figure something out."

They finished up their meal and chatted some more, coming up with some ideas Jules might want to try for her wedding.

"Just avoid pissing off any criminals" Donna said seriously. "You never know when they'll want to come back and ruin your life. I still owe you guys big-time for saving me and Hank on our wedding day."

"Well hopefully you'll never have a reason to return the favor" Jules said. A horrible picture entered her mind of Sam laying on the ground, bloody and motionless, and she swallowed hard. I'm not going to lose him like that, she thought. Never!

After being convinced to go up and sing a couple songs on the karaoke, Jules made a quick dash to the washroom. When she came out, she noticed things seemed very quiet.

"I told you to shut up!" A voice shouted out. "Now open the cash register and gimmie everything you got. Your late on your payment so I'm taking everything you have right now. The boss doesn't like it when your late. You know what happens when your late, don't you?"

A robbery! Jules thought. And what's more, it sounds like they're demanding protection money!

Jules peeked around the corner. Three men had weapons trained on all the people in the restaurant. She saw her three friends had their hands on their heads. They were acting calm but she knew they were worried. She remembered she had her personal weapon with her in her purse along with her cell phone. Quickly she dialed 911 and asked to be put through to the SRU because of an armed robbery in progress. She kept her voice as low as possible when she got through to Sydney.

"How many guys do you see Jules?" Sydney asked.

"I see four of them Sydney. But I don't want to leave this hallway or I might get spotted" Jules says.

"Okay Team Two is coming jules." Sydney told her. "Just sit tight."

"I will. I don't think that they've hurt anybody yet, but I'm afraid they might if they don't get what they want"

"Is this all the money you have?!" yelled the leader of the gang. The man behind the cash register was begging for time to get more money to the gang's boss. "Please… I just need more time. You got everything I have… just take it!"

"Your time is up! My boss warned you before what would happen, old man!" the leader shouted. He pointed his gun at the victim.

Jules wasn't about to watch an innocent man get killed right in front of her. She knew that Leah, Donna and Winnie would have her back. So she grabbed her gun out of her purse and jumped out of her hiding place.

"SRU! Freeze! Drop your weapon!" she yelled.

"What the-?" the gangster said in surprise when he saw Jules out of the corner of his eyes.

Leah, Donna and Winnie took that as a cue to take action. The other three gunmen were taken by surprise by the charging women who tackled them to the floor.

"I said drop your weapon!" Jules yelled again.

"I don't think so!" the remaining gang member said.

"I called for backup" Jules said. "Your outnumbered, too. Your best option is to surrender."

The scumbag looked like he was going to put down his gun, but he turned suddenly to point his gun at Jules. She saw he was about to pull the trigger.

BANG!

The shot rang out and Jules watched the gang member fall to the ground, dead. She lowered her gun, thankful that she had been faster at getting off the shot.

There was nothing left for Team Two to do when they arrived, really, so they just continued with the rest of the shift after arresting the rest of the gang members that Leah, Donna, and Winnie had been holding.

Jules, on the other hand, realized she would be under investigation even though it was justified and she was off-duty. But all she really wanted was for Sam to be there. She hadn't realized how vulnerable it was to be without all of her gear and bullet proof vest.

I could have been shot by that guy and could have been all over for me she thinks to herself as SIU takes her back to HQ to be grilled on what happened. But at least Sam knows – he KNOWS I love him, she thinks. If I had never told him that would be the worst.

Somehow Sam was there waiting for her when she reached the barn but she wasn't aloud to talk to him because the SIU guy made sure she went right in to the meeting without talking.

"Its protocol" he says to her uncaringly.

One of the girls must have sent him a text or something Jules thinks. Just knowing he's out there waiting for her helps her relax as the interview goes on with all the usual questions about what happened.

But this time she would be asked questions she was not expecting. Questions that would put their very lives in danger…

"Do you have any idea who you killed tonight officer Callaghan?" she's asked.

"Yeah. A guy who was about to hurt an innocent civilian" Jules says.

"We get that. And theres no need for an attitude. What I mean is do you know you just killed the youngest son of one of the biggest crime bosses in the city?"

uh-oh thinks Jules and feels her stomach drop like ten feet to the basement. Armand Zelasko was the wealthiest and most dangerous of the criminals, and the authorities had never been able to pin anything on him. Everyone knew he was guilty of just about everything, but his expensive lawyers always found some lopphole to keep him out of prison.

"You wont be safe out in the open, officer Callaghan. Zelasko will want payback for what happened tonight. We suggest the witness protection program."


	2. Chapter 2

**author's note: thank you for the reviews and follows, especially SJBraddock3, Ealasaid Una and KevinxoShelley! Here's chapter 2 (where I do mention Sam - just for you, Ealasaid Una!) Things aren't crazy yet, but they are about to!**

**Chapter 2**

"Witness protection!" jules exclaimes "I don't think so."

The SIU guy, Kowalski, looks at her hard. "you'd risk your very life? This isn't time for pride Miss Callaghan"

"Its not pride" Jules says. "I have a life here. I have…" she's about to say 'a wedding to plan' but stops herself in time. Because if she'd said that she knew talking about her pregnancy would be next.

And that was the last thing she wanted SIU to know, even with the chief's support for her and sam being together. She always felt that higher ups were always looking for something else to use to break apart the team, but it was probably just her imagination.

"Well we can't make you do it" the SIU guy said. "But I think your being foolish for not doing it."

"I have my team to protect me. And in case you missed it I was able to take care of myself back at the restaurant too."

"Then I wish you luck because you are probably going to need it. My advice? Keep your bullet proof vest on at all times and sleep with one eye open" He snapped his briefcase shut and walked out of the room shaking his head.

"Hey Jules" Sam said coming into the room. Are you okay?

"Yes" Jules says with a nod. "But he just said I killed the son of some guy named Armand Zelasko.

"Why do I know that name" asks Sam. He knew the name sounded familiar but he cant quite remember how he knew it.

"It's probably because hes the biggest crime lord in the whole city."

Sam whistled. "The SIU guy told me I should go into witness protection because Zelasko will be gunning for me now" Jules says, looking at Sam for his reaction.

"You in witness protection? That will never work. Unless I got to go with you." Sam says.

"Sam, really!" Jules says. "I told him no way. I have you and I have the team to watch my back right?"

Sam frowns, worried about what Jules has said. He didn't like the idea that she had suddenly become a target just because she had saved another human being from getting killed by a criminal.

"You are right. You do have us and the rest of the SRU to watch out for you" says sam. He walks over to her and just holds her, knowing that whatever happens, he's not going to let any crime boss take her from him, not when everything they've ever wanted is so close. "We will get thru this together, I promise."

At the city morgue, Armand Zelasko looked down at the corpse belonging to his dead son. `Leave me, he says to the attendant. 'Now! '

The morgue worker dashes out, truly frightened by the sound of rage in Zelasko`s voice. Partly because he recognized who Zelasko was, and wanted no trouble.

``I promise you this, my son,`` he says. "I will find all those responsible for this and I will make sure they pay. They will never know another day of happiness when I find out who they are. I will avenge you"

He places the sheet back over his son's pale face and leaves the room. Zelasko's driver opens his fancy town car for him. "Home" Zelasko says in a monotone.

"Of course, sir" replied the driver and takes off.

Zelasko pulls out his cell phone and dials a number, the number of one of his best lawyers. "Get down to the city lockup. I want my men out of there holding cells before the night is threw. I cannot have them spilling their guts about what they know. And find out all you can about the all those off-duty cops involved. I don't care how you do it. You know I always pay you well for your work."

"Everything alright, sir?" asked the driver.

"My baby son is dead Gomez. Everything is not alright."

"I am very sorry to hear that sir" Gomez says.

"Spare me" snaps Zelasko. "I don't pay you for your sympathy. Now keep your mouth shut and drive."

"Yes sir. But if you will permit me sir, I hope you get the justice you seek. Your family has always been good to me."

"Yes we have Gomaz. And Bobby always liked you. You let him sit in the front and pretend to drive before he was old enough to reach the peddles."

"I remember, sir"

"Don't worry. Before long I will know the names of those who are responsible for what happened and I'll put them all in the ground especially the one who pulled the trigger on my Bobby"

"I don't doubt a word you say sir" says Gomez, who keeps driving, but thinks about all the bodys he's transported in the trunk of this very car in the past. Bodys he knows are of people who had crossed his boss. Pretty soon he knew more will be added to that count.

Jules, Winnie, Leah and Donna were talking in the locker room after they'd all finished talking to SIU.

"That SIU guy Kowalski cleared all of us but says I could be in danger" Jules tells them. "The guy I killed is the son of a notorious gangster named Armand Zelasko"

"I know that name" Donna pipes up. "We could never get close enough to him to take him down when I was working Vice. He's involved in all kinds of nasty stuff like drugs and protection rackets and prostitution. He's pretty dangerous. I would actually be worried if I were you"

"Worried? Why? We're cops, not helpless victims." Jules pointed out.

"I know that. But we're not invincible" Leah says. "I've heard of this guy too. Do you know how many murders they think he's behind? Too many."

"Leahs right Jules" Winnie says quietly. "Even cops get can get hurt. And killed. You know from personal experience".

"Girls I'm not freaking out about this okay?" Jules says getting upset that they're treating her as if she should actually have placed herself in witness protection. "I already told SIU I'm not doing anything different about how I live my life".

Leah puts a hand on her shoulder. "We understand Jules. We just don't want anything to happen to you."

"Exactly," Donna nods. "Especially now with a baby on the way and your wedding not to mention. But whatever your decision we're behind you 100%."

"If you were not there, who knows who else would of been killed"? Winnie asks. "You did the right thing."

"Thanks girls" Jules says, and the four join together for a quick group hug before they leave for the night.

Sam was waiting for her when she got out and offered to spend the night with her. Not that this was out of the ordinary since they were practically living together anyway. But tonight was different and Jules decided she really did want him to be there to watch her back just in case SIU was right about Zelasko.

"I wouldn't have taken no for an answer anyway," says Sam as they drive away from SRU HQ.

"I just don't want to be treated any different Sam", Jules says. "You know I hate that."

"I know. But it's like I always say, there's nowhere else I'd rather be than right here with you."

It's later that night when SIU Kowalski is on his way to file his reports. It's nearly midnight by now, and all he can think about is getting home to bed. Out of nowhere, a black SUV rams into his car from behind.

"What the!" yells Kowalski. He's jerked forward against his seatbelt harshly. In the rearview mirror he cannot see into the vehicle behind him.

Again, the SUV speeds up and hits him again.

"Dammit!" Kowlaski curses as he loses control of his car and winds up in the ditch.

Trapped inside now, he goes digging for his cell phone to call for help but he is stopped when two armed men show up at both sides of his car.

``Tell me the names of those cops involved in killing Bobby Zelasko earlier tonight!`` says the guy on his left.

"Kiss my ass" Kowalski says, knowing that they're probably going to kill him anyway. Jules Callaghan should of heeded my warning, thinks the SIU investigator. But they're not going to get her name from me.

"Tell me their names!" the baddie shouts again, this time making sure his gun was pointed right at Kowalski's head.

"Betty Flintstone", quips Kowalski. He had his finger on his cell phone and had just finished dialing 911. The operator was asking what was his emergency.

"Oh so you're a funny guy, huh?" says the gunman. "Last chance, bozo. I want the names of those cops or I shoot".

"And you've just been recorded by 911, jackass!" Kowalski says, holding up his cell phone. "They're tracing my GPS as we speak. You lose."

BANG!

One shot, and Kowalski's head exploded.

"Open that door and get his briefcase. Get all his reports from tonight, that'll be how we trace the names of those cops from tonight." Says the shooter to the second guy. "Hurry. The cops and paramedics are gonna be here any minute. The boss wants this taken care of as soon as possible".

Thirty seconds later, the two members of Zelasko's gang had taken Kowalski's briefcase and left the scene of the crime…


	3. Chapter 3

**author's note: thanks for the reviews! YAY! It made me update much faster so keep them coming. I don't know what Troys last name is so I made it "Bailey". I"m still working on making sure everyone gets to be in this story (like Ed and Greg and Wordy and all those characters everyone likes, so pls be patient if you don't see your faves quite yet, okay? Thanks!)**

Chapter 3

"Team Four! Hot Call! 911 operator says she heard a shot fired during a call. She's not getting a response from the guy who called" Sydney yelled.

Team Four Sergeant Troy Bailey got his team together and they raced to the scene after hearing Sydney's announcement.

"We're here Sydney" Troy said when they arrived. He saw a car in the ditch, but no shooter or weapon. He get closer, and has to look away when he sees the blood all over the windscreen.

"Oh my God, I think that's the SIU guy" one of Troy's team says.

"Who?" asks Troy.

"Kowalski. I saw him leaving when we came on shift. He was questioning Jules about what happened tonight at that sushi restaurant."

"Did you say the victim is Kowalski?" asks Sydney over the comm. "That's crazy. He was just here".

"Yeah I know" Troy says.

Paramedics came and realized there was nothing they could do now for Kowalski, so they let the medical examiner take over when he got there with his van.

"Hey, you think what happened to Kowalski is linked to what happened with the girls tonight?" Sydney asks Troy.

"If it is, the only person who would be able to tell us for sure is dead" Troy said. At least the only person who's on our side, he thought. SRU cops didn't especially like the SIU investigators, but they all know at the end of the day that they are only doing their jobs, even if they made the cops lives hell. "It just can't be a coincidence right?"

"Who would ram a guy off the road and shoot him randomly?" Syd asks.

"It's not a robbery. He still has his wallet and stuff" another team four guy says after checking. "but not briefcase."

"Someone needs to tell the teams about this" Troy says. "Kowalski's stuff from his investigation isn't in his car so sensitive information is out there and it's definitely in the wrong hands"

"I'll put a call out to all of them, Sgt. Bailey" Sydney says. "I got it covered".

"Thanks, man" Troy says. "We're headed back to the barn now. Nothing more we can do here".

Jules and Sam had just reached the comfort and security of her renovated house when the both got texts from Syd about Kowalski.

"Check this out" Sam said to Jules showing her his PDA.

"Yah I just got the same message." Jules says. "This is crazy. I can't believe Kowalski is dead."

She shivered a little and Sam noticed. "hey, it's okay. I'm here and I won't let anything happened to you."

"I can take care of myself Sam, you know that" Jules says. "I'm not helpless".

"I know your not" Sam says, "but I couldn't stand it if something happened to you. This Zelasko guy means business. It can't be a conincidence that Kowalski got killed as soon as he was done talking with you about the incident that got his son shot to death"

"I'm not afraid of Zelasko" Jules says firmly. "All these big criminals rule by fear. It's a tool to them. He's not going to frighten me because that's what he wants".

Sam smiled. "Your amazing Jules, you know that?"

"I kinda am" smiles Jules. Sam leans in and plants a kiss on her lips.

"Is this leading where I think it is?" she asks looking him in the eye.

"Only if you want it to" Sam replies.

"After the night I've had, all I want is to be in your arms tonight" Jules says.

"I'm all yours" says Sam, and kisses her again before heading to the bedroom.

Leah was reading a text she got from her firefighter boyfriend Dan when she got the text from Sydney. She hadn't ever dealt with Kowalski before her talk with him tonight but she knew who he was. Right away she put two and two together and knew his shooting had to be connected to what happened in the sushi restaurant.

"I hope Jules will be okay" she thinks to herself as she gets into bed. She kept thinking about what happened and can't fall asleep easily. Whatever happens though, she knows that the team will do all they can to stop Zelasko from harming anyone else. Plus, the four women – she, Jules, Donna and Winnie – were all in this together. Jules should not have to take all the blame. And Kowalski's death just made things so much worse.

She wants to send a text to Jules to ask if she is okay, but remembers Sam went with her.

"She will be fine" Leah tells herself. At least for tonight, she will be fine.

"You didn't have to wait up Hank" says Donna when she gets home. Her husband is sitting in the living with the light on, reading a book.

"Of course I did. I was worried when I got your text about having to be in an SIU hearing. I thought you were already off-duty". Hank says.

"We were. But something happened when we went out tonight. I really shouldn't talk about it but it's not exactly a secret. Jules killed a guy tonight who was trying to threaten the owner for protection money"

"Oh my god" says Hank.

"That's not half of it. The dead guy is the son of Armand Zelasko."

"Who's that?" asks Hank.

"Not a nice guy at all" Donna says. Suddenly her cell phone beeps and she checks the message that comes in. She reads it in shock.

"What's wrong?" asks Hank.

"The SIU guy who questioned us was just killed."

Winnie had just changed in PJ's when she got a text from Sydney. "thought u should know. SIU guy got killed 2nite."

"Are you kidding?" exclaims Winnie after she reads it. In a hurry she texts him back. "what happened 2 him?"

A few seconds later: Some 1 shot him. They took his reports 2

"Have u told the others?" Winnie texts back.

"Yes. Every1 knows"

"Thnx" Winnie texts.

She puts down her phone and sits on her bed. Tonight had been so crazy. She had never been in on the action before. But she was a cop, too. She might not be SRU, but she knew how to handle herself. Tackling the guy closest to her in the restaurant had been great. But if someone had killed Kowalski for his reports, that means all their names might be in the hands of Zelasko thinks Winnie.

"If that's true then he knows it was Jules" Winnie says to herself. This is very, very bad. But at least she has Sam with her. Suddenly Winnie feels very alone and out of nowhere thinks of Spike. She imagines him holding her right now, telling her everything is going to be alright. She falls asleep with that comforting thought.

Armand Zelasko was still awake at 3am. The reports taken from Kowalski were on his desk. He read them all through and knew all he wanted to know. He knew Julianna Callaghan was the one who had pulled the trigger and that Winnie Camden, Leah Kerns, and Donna Sabine had helped make it happen. The four of them had foiled his son's plans to obtain protection money. They were all equally responsible, though he felt the most burning hatred for Jules. He read all the statements made by all four women and he had memorized their names. He opened a drawer and pulled out a case of bullets. On his desk he put out four of the shells in a row.

One, two, three, four. He was almost tempted to scratch their names into the bullets which would have been symbolic.

"One for each of them" he said, "but I'm going to make sure they feel pain before I kill them."

* * *

**author's note: (dun-dun-dun!) So what should happen next? Should Zelasko also target the men the girls love? Should he wait until they are all together? Or try to get them one by one? Oh, and should Jules change her mind about witness protection?!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's note: here is chapter 4. I am so sorry I did not update earlier I got this done as soon as I could. Anyway I hope you like where this is going. Please read and review!**

The next morning they held a meeting at SRU headquarters to get everyone up to speed on everything that had happened.

Troy told them what he knew about what happened to Kowalski and then Team Four went off shift.

Greg and Commander Halloren went up to the front of the room.

Halloren cleared his throat. "Ahem. I just wanted to say I'm proud of you four ladies. You were off duty but you still acted professionally and you made sure no innocent lives were lost. Unfortunately it is true that Armand Zelasko's son is dead".

Jules sucked in a breath as she remembered pulling the trigger.

"Right now we don't know for sure if SIU Kowalski was targeted because of his investigation but we need to take every precaution".

"What does that mean Commander" asked Winnie. She felt weird sitting in on this meeting instead of at the desk.

"It means that your all going to have police posted at your homes for added safety" Greg answered. He looked at Donna. "We also want to make sure Hank is safe so he's getting a police escort to and from work".

"Okay", she said. "He won't like it. But I'll call him and let him know".

"Beats having to go into witness protection at least". Said Jules. She was relieved they were not going to make he leave her job, her life, and her fiancé behind. Sam put an arm around her shoulder. "You know I would have gone with you. I'd have gone anywhere with you Jules… and our baby."

"That's a lot of manpower being wasted" Leah said. "Winnie why don't you room with me for a little while? That way that is one less cop playing babysitter".

"Are you sure?" Winnie looked at Leah.

"Sure".

"Great idea Leah" Greg said. "That way you two can drive to work together".

"Is that all?" Hollaren asked.

"I think so" Greg said. "We got all our bases covered".

"Alright. Keep your eyes open out there today people" Hollaren said. "Dismissed".

Team Three was on first thing, and Team One would be standing by excercising and running drills.

Donna left right away to call Hank and then went to get into gear.

Winnie waited until they had all exited to talk to Leah. "Hey thanks Leah. You know you don't have to do this, right?"

"Yeah I do" Leah replied. "It's so totally safer if we're together. Besides. You weren't going to work up the nerve to ask Spike to sleep over so I had to do something"

Winnie stared at Leah with her mouth hanging open. "How did you know…"

"what – about the big crush you have on ? Trust me Winnie. You can't hide the fact that he makes you smile every time he talks to you at the desk"

"Yeah but I just don't think it's a good idea to start something with him" Winnie says.

"Why ever not?" asks Leah.

"Because… because he's a cop. And I don't date cops. It's kinda like my personal rule. So I can keep my work life and my private life separate." Winnie says.

"Fine. If that's the way you want it" Leah says. "but I personally think it's a stupid rule. Your denying yourself happiness. Spike it totally into you, Winnie!"

"I know" sighs Winnie.

"You know?" Leah exclaimed trying to keep her voice down.

"He hasn't said anything but I guess I always knew he likes me" says Winnie.

Leah shook her head. "You two really need to sit down and talk this over before you regret it".

Winnie bit her lip. "When the time is right. Now is not the right time".

Leah sighed "Whatever you say, girlfriend".

Team Three was on patrol when Winnie called in a shots fired call.

"It's a shooting on the freeway" Winnie told Donna.

"Let's go, team!" says Donna. She floored the accelerator towards the location of the shooting.

"Donna it's a cop who's being shot at. I can patch you in if you want" says Winnie.

"Go ahead Winnie. Hello? This is Constable Donna Sabine of the Strategic Response Unit. We're on our way…"

But there was silence.

"Winnie I am not getting an answer" says Donna.

"I don't know what happened. He was there a minute ago." Winnie says. "I'll try getting him back on the radio"

"We're almost there" Donna said hoping they were not too late.

Pretty soon Team Three finds a crash scene. A police car has smashed into a concrete barrier and bystanders are trying to help the driver.

"Oh no. Winnie we need an ambulance ASAP" Donna says as she gets out the the SUV. She rushes over with her team to the wreck.

"Everyone get back" Donna says to the people crowding around the police car. Most of them move away. She looks inside to see the state of the cop and notices he has been shot in the shoulder.

"Hey, hang in there okay? An ambulance is coming" she tells the wounded officer.

"O-okay" he says. The pain makes him clench his teeth it's so bad.

"What happened?" Donna asks.

"T-they shot at us… rammed us…" the cop says. "I got hit. I blacked out. When I c-came to I realized I crashed. They took him! I screwed up!"

"Took who?" Donna asks.

"The guy I was supposed to escort to work. Henry something… I don't remember… I…"

Donna feels like if a knife has gone threw her. "Henry Gerald" she asks already knowing the answer.

"Yeah…that's the name. How did you know?"

"it's happening again" Donna says to herself. She looks at the cop and says "Hank Gerald is my husband. You let them take my husband. And now he may be dead."

Tom (Donna's team mate) comes up. "Did I just hear you say they took Hank"? he asks. He is totally concerned right now because he can see that the worry is tearing her up.

"Yes Tom. This cop was suppose to be protecting him."

"And he got shot for it Donna. It's not his fault"

"I know. I just don't know what to do!"

"Yes you do. If Hank was taken then we know this is a vendetta. We have to warn the rest of the girls that their family members are definitely in danger." Says Tom.

"Donna I'm sending Team One your way" Winnie says. "You shouldn't be handling this on your own. Don't worry we're going to find him!"

"Alive Winnie? What if it's already too late, are we just waiting for Hank's body to turn up"? asks Donna. Tears are building up in her eyes as she thinks about what it was like to find Hank after Bill shot him on their wedding day.

"That's not going to happen Donna" Tom says. "You have to believe that". He puts his hands on her shoulders and tries to calm her down.

The ambulance comes to take the shot cop to the hospital.

Team One arrives and Leah and Jules head straight for Donna.

"It's gonna be okay" Leah tells her friend offering her a hug.

"This is all my fault" Jules says. "I'm so sorry Donna."

"I know" Donna says sadly. "I guess I would feel the same way if our roles were reversed. I don't blame you of course. I blame those criminals who think they can do whatever they want"

Greg came up to the three women. "How are you holding up Donna" he asks.

"I'm gonna be okay Boss. As soon as we get Hank back alive and nail those bastards I'm gonna be okay". Donna says, wiping away one last tear.

Spike and Sam and Ed gather up all the witnesses for statements and get a description of a black car that caused the accident. Spike tries to work his computer magic with a partal license plate number but cant get a match yet. "It's gonna take time guys" he says. "Lots of black cars with these numbers".

Jules takes a moment to talk to Sam. "If they took Hank.. Sam they could be after you next"

"The thought crossed my mind Jules but I'm surrounded by the teams, I'm gonna be okay." Sam says.

"Still. I'm worried" Jules has to admit.

"Don't be." He gives her a quick kiss not caring that it's totally public and everyone can see.

"Okay teams, let's huddle" Greg says. Everyone comes closer and listens to what he has to say.

"So I think we have a pretty good idea what happened here today. Hank has been abducted by Zelasko's thugs. That tells us those closes to Donna, Jules, Winnie and Leah are in danger."

"My family is in Haiti" Leah says. "I don't think Zelasko would go that far"

"Boyfriend"? asks Greg. He hated prying into the private lives of his team but he had to ask it.

"Yes. He is a firefighter" Leah says. "Do you really think Dan could be in danger?"

"Let's just cover all our bases. Would he have a problem getting out of town for a while until we figure this stuff out"? asks Greg.

"He can't just drop his job like that. But I'll talk to him" Leah says.

"Sarge." Winnie says over the comm. "My parents are in Arizona half the year so their not in Toronto now. I think they'll be safe. Um. No boyfriend though."

"Good Winnie..." says Greg. "Sam and Jules. I know you don't want to go into witness protection. But maybe you might consider laying low at headquarters for a while? It's safer there. In fact I think all four of you ladies should stay at HQ. We can protect you there."

"But I want to be out here looking for Hank. I can't just sit and do nothing" Donna says. She knows every minute they spend talking is another minute they are not out there trying to find him.

"Nobody is saying you have to be there all the time" Ed says to his friend.

"Right. Just when you are off shift." Greg says. "Come on everyone. Let's see what we can find about any property Zelasko owns where he might have taken Hank. We're going to find him Donna."

"I hope your right Boss" Donna says. "I nearly lost him once. I won't loose him again."

"Do you have him?" Zelasko asks his henchman on the phone.

"Yah Boss. We have him."

"Good. Now what about the rest of them?"

"Not yet. Its gonna be tough. The rest of them only have parents, not husbands or kids. And those parents are way out of town. One has a boyfriend whos a firefighter`and the one who killed Bobby has a fiancé though but he is also a cop. SRU."

"Are you afraid of a little challenge like that!" yelled Zelasko. `"That is the one you MUST focus on. Do you hear me? Get him at all costs. He'll keep the other one company until we can find someone that is special enough to the other two to make them suffer like I have. To know this loss. It will be the last thing they will ever feel before I send them all to the deaths they so richly deserve!"


	5. Chapter 5

**author's note - sorry I took so long to update. I kinda got stuck. More danger is in store. I know you are waiting for Sam whump. That's going to come soon enough. I just wanted to set things up right. Please review. And let me know if you think I'm going in the right direction! please!**

**chapter 5**

"Okay, guys" Spike said to his friends when they were back at SRU headquarters, "I have a list here of all the property Zelasko is known to have in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area)". He put a large map on the screen for them to see.

"That's a lot" Ed said as they looked and saw over a dozen different locations spread all over the place.

"Yeah. He has eighteen holdings. Some are houses, some are businesses, and some are warehouses." Spike said.

"Well he would not have taken Hank to one of his homes would he?" Donna asked.

"Doubt it" Greg said. "A warehouse is more likely. It's out of the way."

"But a warehouse would be too obvious don't you think?" Sam asked. "It would be the first place we would go looking, and Zelasko would know that."

"Maybe that's what he wants" Jules said. "He wants us to come looking. Because this is about revenge and not some silly game of hide-and-seek".

"If Zelasko has harmed one hair on Hank's head I swear to God…" Donna said under her breathe.

"Don't go there Donna" Ed said to his friend. She looked at him and said, "You know what I mean Ed. Hank has suffered enough already because of this job. We have to stop Zelasko before anyone else gets hurt".

"That's something we can all agree on" Greg said. "okay. We have all of us here on Team One and Team Three and we're getting Team Five to help us cover more ground. We're getting warrants right now to search all those eighteen properties. Team Two will be here if there are any hot calls."

In a secret location Armand Zelasko watched the latest arrival who was blindfolded and tied to a chair.

"Whose there?" Hank asked when he sensed someone else was in the room.

"Your worst nightmare" Zelasko said.

"I don't know who you are or why you kidnapped me, but you made a big mistake. My wife is with the SRU. They don't take things like this lightly. When they find me I can guarantee it'll be all over for you."

"Oh I know who your wife is and I know all about the SRU" Zelasko said angrily. "And trust me, I want them to find you. You are the bait, Hank Gerald. And I can guarantee YOU that it'll be all over for them when they find you."

Winnie came quickly into the briefing room and said "Sarge the warrants came thru, you can get out there and look for Hank".

"Thank God" Donna said when she heard this.

"Alright Teams, you heard Winnie. You all have your assignments. Let's go!" Greg ordered.

Everyone piled into the SUV's and hit the road, all the teams with lists of six properties each to search.

"Okay teams" Greg said over the comm, "I want the first team that finds Hank to go careful and to call in to the nearest team for backup. Zelasko is going to be ready for us."

"Copy that" said all three team leaders.

"You okay?" Donna's teammate Jimmy asks.

"I will be when we find Hank and take down Zelasko" Donna replied. She hopes her team will be the one to find Hank first, but tells herself she might very well do something she might regret if they are.

Meanwhile, Fire Station #21 was responding to a burning building at the dockyard. It was mainly used for storage for large shipping containers that came in on ships to Toronto. The roof was already on fire by the time the firefighters got there, but they began hosing down neighboring structures to prevent them from catching.

"It's to far gone to save", Captain James McNeil said sadly. Black smoke continued to rise from the blaze, but there was really nothing they could do. The harbourmaster told them there was no one inside the building, and no one needed to risk his life going inside to save any of the packing crates. Soon it would just be an empty shell with burnt rubble. An hour later they were still putting out hot spots to make sure a new fire didn't spark.

Captain McNeil wiped the sweat from his eyes and looked around. He did a quick count of his men as he always did after a fire was put out. One short. Who was missing? He counts again and realizes that he cannot see Dan Baron.

"Anyone seen Danny?" he called out. But nobody had.

"Cap!" called Rick Gibson. "I found his helmet and the rest of his gear over here."

"What" exclaimed James. "He's left his gear? Where did he go?"

"I don't know Cap" said Rick. "He's not in the truck and nobody saw him take off."

"Put an all-call out for Daniel Baron" Cap said. "We gotta find him. People don't just go AWOL like that"

"Cap, there's something you don't know" Rick said.

"What don't I know" asked Cap.

"Before shift, Danny got a call from his girlfriend. She said he might be in danger and that he should get out of town for a few days. He decided to get thru this shift first before he came to you to request emergency time off"

"Damn it" Cap swore. "something's happened to him! I'm calling the police right now to report a kidnapping. Headstrong kid! He should have told me immediately."

It took a few minutes but the news about the kidnapping of Daniel Watson got to Winnie eventually, along with the report that a warehouse on the docks had burned to the ground.

She decided to tell Greg first. "Sarge I have some bad news. Captain McNeil from Fire House 21 called to say that Danny Baron is missing from the scene of a fire at the docks."

"Your kidding me" Greg said.

"You'll have to tell Leah" Winnie said and was upset because she knew Leah would be heartbroken.

"The fire Winnie. Where was it again?" asked Greg.

"On the docks at the main shipyard. A warehouse. I'm pulling up the address now… Boss… oh no. That warehouse belongs to Armand Zelasko."

"Now we know for sure Zelasko has Danny" Greg said. "Thanks Winnie." He hung up his cell and turned on his comm. "Okay teams, I have some unfortunate news to tell you."

Upon hearing this Donna held her breath, almost sure it was bad news about Hank.

"It's about Danny Baron" Gerg said. "Winnie just got a report that he's gone missing from a fire at a warehouse belonging to Zelasko."

"Oh no!" Leah cried. "I told him he should get out of town. He said he would. Why didn't he listen?"

Spike was sitting next to her in the back of the SUV. "I'm so sorry, Leah. We're gonna get him back. You can count on it. Stay strong, okay?"

Leah pursed her lips. She nodded and took a deep breathe, making sure she did not cry in front of Spike. That would have been too embarrassing.

"Team One let's head for the dockyards and talk to Danny's captain. Spike you'll have to see if there is any security camera footage you can get to find out who took him and which direction they went." Greg said.

"Copy that" Spike said.

Ed turned the SUV to make a U-turn to head in the direction of the port. He took a look in the rear view mirror and saw that Leah was trying her best not to break down. That's two guys Zelasko has managed to take. We've gotta stop this guy before he gets to anyone else, like Sam, or Winnie's family, Ed thought.

Back at SRU HQ, Winnie took a call from a 911 dispatcher. "Hey Winnie, I have a guy on the phone claiming to have information about some missing men?"

"Put him through Nina" Winnie said and linked the call so all the teams could hear as well.

"Is this Winnie Camden" the man on the other line said. His voice sounded like it was being altered so no one could identify it if they tried, but all the SRU knew it could only be Zelasko, or someone working for him.

"Yes this is Winnie Camden" she said.

"Good. Very good. My boss has a message for you first. No one you love is safe, Winnie Camden. Remember that."

Winnie felt a shiver of fear run down her spine as she thought of Spike. She put on a brave face and said, "Who is this? Whoever you are, you won't get away with making threats like this. If you have information about Hank Gerald and Danny Baron, tell us now".

"Hank Gerald? Hank Gerald is in a warehouse somewhere on the docks. Oops. My mistake. Hank Gerald _was_ in a warehouse on the docks. I don't think that warehouse is standing any longer."

When Donna heard this, she hit the brakes on the SUV. "That son of a bitch!" she roared. "I'm going to kill him! He's killed my husband!"

But Zelasko's henchman wasn't done. "Hank Gerald was just the beginning. My boss means to make all of you suffer Winnie Camden. Tell Leah Kerns that she will never see Daniel Baron again. To you and Julianna Callaghan, your time for torture is coming soon…"

Donna couldn't stop sobbing. Jimmy leans over and puts his arms around her. "We've got to keep going Donna. Danny Baron needs us to pull it together. I know your hurting bad right now. I know what Hank meant to you. But please, we have to get to the dockyards now. The teams need us."

"I can't do it anymore Jimmy" Donna said. "This job. It's cost me everything I ever wanted. I'm done with all of this".

Jimmy said, "It won't bring Hank back but I know you. You don't quit that easily. Think about Leah. You understand what she is going thru. She needs you more than ever. You told me earlier that the four of you were in this together after Jules shot Zelasko's son. If you quit now then he's won. His revenge will be complete."

Donna wiped her face dry. "Thank you for reminding me what I need to do Jimmy." She knew she had to put her own anger and grief on hold right now because Zelasko was still out there and because her friends needed her. I will not let him get away with this Hank, Donna swore to herself. I will kill him with my bare hands if I have to.

Team One and Team Three reached the dockyards first while Team Five was still a ways out and wouldn't get there for a while. Winnie also chose to take an emergency leave to be there for Donna and Leah, and left as soon as Sydney got there to cover for her.

They all gathered around Donna to express their condolences. They all stood together for a short while, supporting each other and hugging, while trying to come up with the best way to move forward to find Dan, Leah's boyfriend. Winnie couldn't help but stand close to Spike, and did not move away when he put an arm around her. She linked her fingers with his as a sign she was okay with the gentle contact.

Then harbourmaster got Spike a copy of the security footage to start looking at how Dan had been taken, and he got into the command truck to look at it. Winnie decided to go with him just so she could feel like she was being useful too.

Meanwhile, Zelasko and his henchman were tapped into the same security cameras and were watching the teams as they stood together, giving Donna and Leah comfort.

Zelasko snapped his fingers. "That's it" he said. "Did you see that? Winnie Camden is in love with Michelangelo Scarlatti of the SRU! And what's more is that I now see this _entire team_ is like one big family. They all love and care for one another just as if they were related by blood. If I truly want to crush them, all I have to do is take them all out, one by one. Team One of the SRU will be destroyed before their very eyes. That is how I will make them suffer… Then then Donna Sabine, Leah Kerns, Winnie Camden and Julianna Callaghan will surely die!"

But for now he could gloat over the pain he knew the fire at the warehouse was causing Donna and Leah. There will be so much more where that came from, he thought evilly. So much more!

**(I already have some ideas, but let me know what you think should happen next!)**


	6. Chapter 6

**author's note: Here it is, the update! Don't worry, Sam and the baby are still safe... for now... (evil laugh). And all you who were wondering about Hank... your question is about to be answered! But don't get too comfortable. Zelasko is one evil, evil, man.**

**Chapter 6**

Jules sat in the passenger seat while Sam drove them and Leah and Donna back to HQ. Jules didn't know what to say about what had happened to Hank, or to Danny. She just felt so much guilt. None of this would have been happening if she had not pulled that trigger. She had to make it right but she didn't know how. She just prayed Spike would be able to get some clue about where Danny has been taken. Then maybe… maybe they might be able to find him in time before something happened to him. Like it did to Hank. Jules wasn't sure she could even meet Donna's eyes in the rearview mirror.

"You know what I think" Donna said suddenly. "I don't think he's dead. He can't be. I'd know it if he was. They didn't find a body in the rubble. I'm not going to believe he's really gone until they can show me evidence."

Jules didn't know what to say. Donna just sounded so angry and upset. If believing Hank was still alive was the only thing keeping her sane at this moment nobody should take that hope away from her.

"And I have to believe the same thing about Dan" Leah says quietly. "I still can't believe this is happening. He doesn't deserve this."

"This is all my fault" Jules can't keep it in anymore. "I never thought this would be the outcome when I shot Zelasko's son."

"We are not blaming you Jules" Donna says. "Any one of us would have done the same thing. Don't you see? Zelasko wants you to feel guilty.``

"He wants all of us to feel guilty" Leah adds.

"That's how he wants to punish us" Donna says. "He wants to hurt us by taking away the most important people in our lives.'

"And it's working" Jules says. "For your sake I hope Hank really wasn't in that warehouse Donna."

"Me too" Sam says as they reach HQ.

"And I do too" Leah says.

Jules whispered a soft "I'm still so sorry."

At a secret location…

Danny Baron wakes up to darkness. "Hello? Is anyone there?" he hears his voice echo.

"Yeah. I can hear you"

Dan turns his head towards the sound of the voice. Was it his captor? He didn't know. "Who are you? What the hell is going on here!"

"I don't know. I was brought here I don't know how long ago. I was kidnapped by some thugs who want to get at my wife and the other cops she works with. My name's Hank."

"I'm Dan. You said your wife is a cop. My girlfriend is too. She warned me there might be some people after me but I didn't get out of town when she told me to"

"I was being escorted by a police officer when I was taken. It must be the same group that took you" Hank says.

"What do you think they are going to do with us" Danny asks.

"Use us as bait probably. To get to my wife and your girlfriend."

"But why? What have they done?"

"I have no idea. Whatever it is, it's got these guys pretty upset" Hank says.

"Just great. They use us as bait, and the women we love will be walking right into a trap. This stinks"

"Maybe we should try to find a way to escape" Hank suggests.

"I'm tied up pretty good over here" Danny says. "You don't happen to have a knife do you?"

"Nope. I'm tied up too. But if we can get closer to each other maybe I can try to loosen the knots around our wrists"

"I'm pretty good with knots" Dan said, after all he was a firefighter, "but that's when my hands are in front of me and I can see what I'm doing."

"Can we try anyway" asks Hank. "I don't like just sitting around here waiting to see what happens next. They already moved me once and I was convinced they were going to be taking me to some abandoned place to kill me".

Dan shuffled his chair over to where he thought Hank was sitting. The scraping sound was loud. He hoped it didn't attract attention but knew he had to risk it.

"Okay. I think we're close enough" Dan said when he felt the back of Hank's chair behind him.

"Good" Hank says as he tries stretching out his fingers to see if he can also feel the ropes tied around Dan's wrists.

"So who's your wife" Dan asks as he begins trying to tug as the knots.

"Donna Sabine" replies Hank. "who's your girlfriend?"

"Leah. Leah Kerns" Dan says. "Damn these ropes are tight. I don't think I'm gonna be able to get em loose Hank."

Hank grits his teeth. His wrists were already chafed and he was losing the feeling in his fingers. "My fingers are so numb right now too. We can't give up though. If we're going to make it out of here alive we need to find a way to get out of here. We have to stay alive for Leah and Donna".

In the SRU truck…

Winnie and Spike are sitting together looking at the security footage of the warehouses on the docks trying to see how Danny was kidnapped. They saw him in the frame several times by reading his name on the back of his protective fire coat.

While all of the crew was busy trying to hose down the surrounding warehouses, nobody noticed a black vehicle pull up beside the firetruck.

"But we can't see who is in it" Winnie complained. "The truck is blocking it and the windows are all tinted."

"And Danny goes back to the truck to get something… right… now…" Spike says pointing to Dan on the screen.

They could just barely see some movment at the rear of the truck. Dan's body seems to go limp and they can only see his legs sticking out behind the truck. Soon his jacket and helmet, air tank and boots are tossed aside and he's picked up.

A few moments later Winnie and Spike watch as the black car backs up, makes a U-turn and speeds away from the compound.

"There! We got a license plate" Spike says excitedly. "VBGH 980. I'm putting out a BOLO. And I'm gonna tap into the traffic camera system to track the route it might have taken. Greg, tell Leah that we have the best lead of the day."

"Copy that, Spike" Greg says over the comm. He was driving back to HQ with Eddie.

"Everything okay?" Ed asks.

"Maybe" Greg says. "Spike has a lead. He got the license plate and he's put out a BOLO".

"That's good news. Hopefully we find Dan before…" Ed starts to say.

"Before he winds up dead like Hank?" Greg finishes his sentence.

"Boss, do you really think he's dead? They didn't find a body. Nothing. Zelasko could be playing games. He wants to hurt Donna and the rest of them."

"I hear ya Eddie" says Greg. "And I want to believe that Hank is alive and well. But right now it's not looking good".

Back at the secret location…

"Ow, I think I just ripped off a fingernail" Dan mutters in pain.

"Sorry man" Hank says with a sigh. He was still trying to dig his own fingernails into the heavy rope around Dan's wrists while Dan was doing the same with his. So far they were making no progress.

"This sucks. I wish we knew more about the guys who have taken us. I hate being in the dark like this".

"Me too" Hank says.

Suddenly they hear a door opening and slow footsteps.

"Better stop for now" Dan hisses at Hank. They don't want to be caught trying to escape not knowing what the consequences might be.

"Are you two getting to know each other a little better?" a voice asks. It's the same voice Hank remembers hearing when he was first captured.

"Yeah. We're best friends already" Dan answers.

"Don't get too close" the voice says. "You won't be around much longer to enjoy each others company"

A rectangle of light shone in the darkness and Dan and Hank couldn't help but look at it. They realized it was an iPad playing a video.

"That's the fire we tried to put out" Dan says as he sees a warehouse going up in flames.

"Very good Mr. Baron" the voice says with a laugh.

"Why are you showing this to us?" Hank asks.

"Keep watching Mr. Gerald. You'll find the next bits interesting"

Soon enough, the fire takes the whole warehouse down.

"You guys couldn't put it out?" Hank asks Danny.

"No, we were too late" Dan answers. "But I didn't see all this. I went to the back of the truck to get something, and the nex thing I know I'm waking up here".

The video jumps ahead to show the firefighters putting out hotspots. Then the SRU arrive.

Hank recognizes his wife right away. "Donna!"

"And I see Leah" Dan says.

They watch as the group gathers around Donna and Hank notices how upset she seems but can't understand why she is so distraught. It was just a warehouse fire. It's not like it was their home or something.

"What you are watching right now is your wife mourning your death" the voice tells Hank.

"My death!" Hank shouts. "What are you talking about?"

"why, didn't anyone tell you?" asks the voice. "You were in that warehouse when it burned down. And now your wife thinks your dead. Gone. Burned to ashes in that fire. It's killing her, you know, to know that it's all HER fault this has happened."

"You sonofabitch" Hank growls.

"And the same thing is going to happen to you, Danny-boy" the voice mocks. "Leah Kerns will regret she ever had anything to do with what happened to Bobby Zelasko. In fact all of those police officers will feel the pain of loss. And then they will all die just as surely as you will… once you have served your purpose".

With a loud laugh, the voice retreats and Hank and Dan listen to the footsteps as he walks away. A door opens and closes again, and they're alone one more time.

"We have GOT to find a way out of this" Hank says. He can't imagine how Donna must be hurting and blaming herself.

"I for one do not want to end up dead today pal" Dan says. "I may have gouged out a fingernail, but that pain is nothing compared to what that bastard has coming to him for all of this"

And the two of them start to try to untangle the knots again…

SRU HQ.

"Any hits on the BOLO?" Ed asks Winnie as she and Spike sit at her desk.

"Not yet" Winnie says.

"But every cop in town is looking for that car" Spike says. So far the traffic cams hadn't got them anything useful. Too many black cars of the same model on the roads to be sure.

Ed nods and looks over at where Greg is with Jules, Sam, Donna, and Leah. They're all standing around the exercise equipment, and Greg is telling them something he can't hear. Jules was looking like she was about to cry, and Donna and Leah didn't look any happier. Ed decides to walk over to join them.

Sam reached out a hand and touched Jule's shoulder.

"I don't think I'll be able to forgive myself. And I couldn't live with myself if Zelasko got his hands on you Sam" Jules says.

"That's not going to happen" Sam tells her.

"Our baby Sam" Jules says on the verge of tears. "Our baby can't grow up without you".

"I don't plan on that happening. Please Jules, don't put all this guilt on yourself. You'll make yourself sick. The stress won't be good for the little one".

"I know your right… but it's so hard" Jules says.

"Let's go sit in one of the conference rooms" Greg says. "We'll stay here for the night for your protection. I'll order in dinner for everyone".

"Okay. I'm gonna call Sophie and tell her I'm going to be late getting home" Ed says. "The Team needs me here this evening"

The phone rings and rings, and at first Ed thinks that maybe Sophie might be trying to put Izzy down for the night. And Clark probably wouldn't be home yet from school because today was a cello lesson day, anyway. He was probably still driving home. The answering machine kicks in, and Ed just chooses to leave a quick message. "Soph its' me. Gonna be late tonight. I'm sorry, it's just that we've had a really rough day and I need to be here for the team. Love you, bye".

Ed couldn't have known that Zelasko's henchman heard every word of his message, and that Sophie and Clark were staring at the barrel of a gun at that very moment…

* * *

**Did you see that coming?! I bet you didn't! So what do you think will happen next? Can Hank and Danny escape? What will happen to Sophie, Clark and Izzy? Will Jules be able to get over her guilt? Let me know what you think! Hit that review button! Do it now! **


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